Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystals and Displays, Volume. 40, Issue 1, 26(2025)

Liquid crystal polymer actuators manipulated by polarized light

Mengshi JIN1,2, Henghui ZHU1,2, Nankai DENG1,2, Shuai HUANG1,2、*, and Quan LI1,2
Author Affiliations
  • 1Institute of Advanced Materials, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
  • 2College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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    Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) possess distinctive chemical structures and physical properties, which endow them with significant potential in applications such as soft robotics and artificial muscles. In recent years, light regulation technology has emerged as a focal point in this research domain, due to its non-contact nature, precise control, and low energy consumption. Polarization, an essential physical attribute of light, introduces a novel dimension of regulation for photoresponsive systems. Modulating the polarization properties of light can significantly diversify the editing and operational methods of photoresponsive LCP actuators, thereby expanding their application scope. A plethora of studies have already demonstrated the control of shape changes in LCP devices or optical elements using polarized light. Building upon this foundation, this article provides a comprehensive summary of the working principles of polarized light-controlled LCP actuators. It also highlights several representative applications of polarized light-controlled liquid crystal actuators, based on the characteristics of different photoresponsive structures. Additionally, the article reviews the current challenges faced by such actuators and offers a perspective on future development. Future research endeavors should focus on enhancing the stability, photothermal conversion efficiency, and response speed of these actuators to propel their application advancement.

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    Mengshi JIN, Henghui ZHU, Nankai DENG, Shuai HUANG, Quan LI. Liquid crystal polymer actuators manipulated by polarized light[J]. Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystals and Displays, 2025, 40(1): 26

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    Paper Information

    Category: Liquid Crystal Actuation Materials

    Received: Aug. 21, 2024

    Accepted: --

    Published Online: Mar. 31, 2025

    The Author Email: Shuai HUANG (huangshuai1991@seu.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.37188/CJLCD.2024-0242

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